Merrill's Withdrawal From Futures,
Commodities May Start a Trend

By

George Matlock Dow Jones Newswires

Updated Jan. 14, 2000 12:01 a.m. ET

LONDON -- With some market observers convinced that Merrill Lynch & Co.'s withdrawal from commodity-futures broking in February won't hurt markets, analysts are asking whether other investment banks can make an orderly exit as well.

Analysts say it won't be long before other commodity brokers owned by investment banks are sold to smaller boutique operations. "It's reasonable to assume that similar actions could happen,"...